8 Elements of an Effective Email Pitch
Email is a great tool for pitching to editors, but only if you follow a few simple rules to help you stand out from the crowd and not end up in the Spam folder or Trash if they hit the delete key.
1-A great subject line
This should attract their attention and pique their curiosity at once. You don’t have to say it’s a pitch. If you are offering them an exclusive, you can put that in the headline.
2-A personalized greeting
Address the person by name. This is not the time for email blasts or spam. You will need to dig in order to find the names and contact details for the right journalists at the best publications that are suited to the niche or industry you are working in, but that research will pay off. Addressing them shows you have taken the trouble and are not a mad spammer.
3-A solid opening sentence
This will tell them why you are contacting them. Use keywords and make it about what they need. Remember, some email clients will show the opening words or sentence of an email, so this is your second chance to grab their attention.
4-Show that you know who they are and what they write
In the course of your research, read their work and make notes on things that either stand out or are closely connected with your products and services and what you wish to pitch to them. Mention your knowledge of their work and try to tie in your pitch. It might be additional information, or a whole new angle they might not have thought of.
5-Show you know their audience
The demographics of each publication are key. Don’t send fashion news to a sports editor unless is to unveil an all-new line of sportswear.
6-Be brief about the pitch
Summarize your story idea and why you think it would be a good fit for their audience. Make it all about them, not you. Use keywords and leave them wanting more.
7-Let them know if it is an exclusive
You will have to email journalists one at a time for this, with an appropriate interval to let people get back to you, but this is one way a journalist might be willing to pick up your piece.
8-Offer extras
Offer images, video, fact sheets and so on. But do NOT attach to the email, because they might not want them and these might also trigger the spam filter on many email clients, which means your email will never get seen in most cases.
9-A strong closing
Thank them for their consideration and give them a call to action in terms of next steps if they wish to follow up. Ensure you will be available via phone and email to connect with them and answer any questions they might have.
10-Watch your timing
Email far enough ahead to feel them out, but not so far ahead there is no urgency about the topic. But don’t email them so close to your live event date, for example, that they have no time to run with it.
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